Asian Challengers - April 2018

[Varma]

Yes, this is a great opportunity for Vishnu and Bala. Just 3 wins for a 150K title, almost $10K in prize money, and 125 points each!

- Varma

[arjun2761]

Good performance by the Indians in the qualifiers with wins against decent players. Hopefully, they can get wins in the main draw...

[jayakris]

RamK's match against Andrew Whittington (AUS) is about to start. Live tream is there at the ATP site - http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/atp-challenger-tour

Easy start for RamK, as AW broke himself with three DFs and and an unforced net error. RamK held at 30 with an ace, and it is 2-0.. A couple of holds at 40-30, and it is 3-1... AW has started playing better now, and he holds at love. Promptly, RamK makes two UEs on forehands and is broken at 30-40. Just unnecessary. 3-3... Maybe the wind is giving him some trouble. Despite two more DFs, AW held for a 4-3 lead, as RamK can't seem to make a good return to save his life on AW's good-but-not-so-terrific serve. I mean, RamK hasn't made a good return at all, as yet. Shot selection has also been terrible so far. But he holds at 15 with his ace #2 for 4-4. Despite his 6th DF, AW still held in the next game, as RamK only made one decent return, and hit a ball out once. He himself looks a bit frustrated at his shots, as he shows with his hands how far he hit that one out. Andrew is hitting the ball really deep most of the time, and that is affecting RamK. If AW moves up to the next, there is nothing RR can do, as he is very good at the net too. The Aussie is quick on his feet too. All of this came to the fore in the next game, as AW won two points and broke RR at 15-40 to the take the set. RamK just lost a set to a guy who served SIX double faults. Yikes. 4-6 0-0

AW served two more DFs, but RR can't take a point otherwise, hitting way too many loopy shots. Finally at 40-30 he held up for a few shots hitting some loops a bit deep for a 16 shot rally but in the end he hit one two wide right, and screamed at himself. 64 01. A couple of good serves and a good drop shot (but AW still dug it up, for RR to kill). 64 11... Finally RR made a decent return and won a couple of points but AW didn't have any DFs, so he held. RR also held at 40-30, though one point where AW ran left and then back right to hit a winner against RR at the net was great to see. RamK needs to hit his volleys with some punch on this guy, or he will make you may. AW holds, after RR won a nice point at the net, hitting one volley flat and deep like I wanted him to. 64 23... RR serves. Two good second serve returns by AW (one with a net mistake by RR) made it 0-30, and a ball placement mistake for the umpteenth time makes it 0-40. Wow, and RamK decides to play well!!! ... 5 straight points won, 3 with strong serves too, as RR held. Turning point??? I don't know. 64 33. AW holds at love, though there was a 13-shot rally where RR hit a few decent shots against a mistake-free AW. 3-4. Good game again on his own serve by RR... 64 44... After some fight from RR for a point, and a DF also, AW again holds. RR holds at love, with some good net play (one terrific dig and drop that surprised AW). 64 55... The Aussie holds at love, as RR continues to be unable to hit a single return deep on the forehand side, and his BH block returns don't scare anybody anyway. RamK is serving to stay in the match, but in a spot of bother at 0-30 after a 21-shot rally ended with a wide forehand from RR. He clawed back again, to 30-30, only to face an MP. RamK came through yet again with 3 points in a row somehow, making AW run left and right (why can't you do that more often??)... Great job by RamK to somehow stay alive and send it to a TB.

0-1... 1-1, 1-2 (mini lost on an RR UE at the net)... 1-3, 1-4... 2-4, 3-4 ... 4-4 (mini won, AW nets one), 4-5... 4-6 MP (what a time for RR's first double fault!), saved, 5-6... AW plays well in an eight shot exchange and converts his third MP of the match.

[R1] (4) Ramkumar Ramanathan (IND,116) l. Andrew Whittington (AUS,273), 46 67(5)

[jayakris]

RamK is playing way too much. It was clear that he was a bit jaded, but in his usual style, he was motivating himself every now and then to just fight and stay in the match. But it is not easy to play at your top level and focus on hitting clean shots if you play non-stop like this. Take a week off, RamK. get the punch back in your shots.

[sameerph]

Watched the second set. RamK was too timid on his return games. Why does he not go for aggressive returns on serve and just blocks or slices his return hoping for the opponent to make an error. It is not only about this match but some of the other matches too. There was a lot of wind around which may have affected him. But, an opportunity missed to gain points at a big challenger.

[sameerph]

RamK is playing way too much. It was clear that he was a bit jaded, but in his usual style, he was motivating himself every now and then to just fight and stay in the match. But it is not easy to play at your top level and focus on hitting clean shots if you play non-stop like this. Take a week off, RamK. get the punch back in your shots.

I agree about that. Been playing not stop since last month or so. Perhaps that is why he lacked spark in his game today.

He should have skipped doubles this week. After that he is headed to Europe and is in the qualifying entry list of Istanbul ATP over the weekend. Lets us see if he plays there if he loses early in doubles this week.

[jayakris]

Watched the second set. RamK was too timid on his return games. Why does he not go for aggressive returns on serve and just blocks or slices his return hoping for the opponent to make an error. It is not only about this match but some of the other matches too.

He needs to play aggressively, or he will lose against these kinds of players. But it is tough to be aggressive on every point when you are jaded from playing too much, like I was saying above. We could feel that he was trying hard at some key junctures like when he had triple BPs on him at 2-3 in the second set, and then facing 0-30 and 30-40 MP at 4-5. He would again lose focus after that. In fact, many of the shot placement mistakes were clearly because he was not focusing. He would time and again hit it to where the other guy can reach. That kind of unfocused play won't work. He needs to take a break and regroup. But then he decides to play doubles. The man hates to stay off the court, I think. Even to sit on the court-side bench. He often gets up before the ump calls time!

[suresh]

The early loss might be a good thing.

[Rajiv]

Simply looked jaded and lacklustre in his shot making , 4 weeks of non stop play seems to have taken its toll.

Plus the playing conditions didn't help his cause either , was so windy and many a occasions it resembled a sandstorm with play being interrupted a few times.
And apologies stand corrected , this challenger is outdoors and not indoors as I thought.

Hoping for Prajnesh to bring cheer to the Indian camp.

[Saniapower]

Ramk can't be aggressive. He can't generate power. His timing is not good - a very awkward looking shot maker. Prajnesh with his current form will beat Ramk.

[Rajiv]

Ram has been playing for 4 weeks since Spain and prior to that he was in USA , so he has been playing nonstop for almost 6-7 weeks.
In less than a week he has to get himself ready for the important ATP in Istanbul and playing the Doubles in Anning will not prepare him the way he would like to.
He plays Doubles only if he gets a chance and is purely for practice and to remain sharp for his singles and doesn't seem to be his priority at the moment considering he is ranked 400+ in the Doubles.
So it might be a good decision if he withdraw's from the Doubles in Anning and take's some rest before the Istanbul ATP rather than arriving in Istanbul just in time for the qualies jet lagged considering the distance between Anning to Istanbul with change of 2-3 airports and with transit time is almost 20 hours.

[Sin Hombre]

I wanted to support Prajnesh over Ram in R2 given his point need for FO qualifying so the latter's loss at least makes that easier.

[Rajiv]

I wanted to support Prajnesh over Ram in R2 given his point need for FO qualifying so the latter's loss at least makes that easier.

Yes Prajnesh desperately needs a good run and Ram's exit has paved the way nicely for him to garner points .
Now the onus is entirely on Prajnesh how well he make's the most of this opportunity.

[Rajiv]

Yessss...
Balaji & Prajnesh win the opening sets in their R1 matches.

[jayakris]

Balaji is 64 00 on Li and Prajnesh is up 62 10 (up a break) on Grenier...